Fragrant Night Rose
by Yotsubrain
Summary: What if Eugeo survived the end of the fight with Quinella? What happens if he gets to reunite with the Alice he loves? Will he fight for her, or for the world? Eugeo x Alice Zuberg. Maybe a Kiritomato ship somewhere down the line. BTW I couldn't add Alice Synthesis Thirty in the tags since she also counts as Alice Zuberg. Artist Credit to 黒波.
1. Prologue: Kirito

**A/N. This chapter is intentionally short both to test the waters if you guys like my writing and to help establish the background of the story. I have some questions at the end that I hope you guys will provide feedback on. Oh yeah, spoilers for the end of the first half of Alicization.**

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"Is it over now?", Kirito looked over at his best friend, the flaxen haired boy nearly unconscious from what he just experienced. He was turned into a sword and defeated Quinella's Sword Golem, however when he turned his blade on Quinella he was bisected. Eugeo then let became one with his sword, the Blue Rose Sword, turning it into the Red Rose Sword, which Kirito used to defeat Quinella. Anyone other than Kirito would have felt accomplishment from this victory, but the sacrifice of his best friend was the only thing on Kirito's mind. "Eugeo..." Kirito put his hand in front of Eugeo, generating light that should restore his Life. Unfortunately, the boy was already bleeding out before any noticeable healing was apparent. "Eugeo, come back. EUGEO!"

"Stay cool, Kirito." The boy missing his legs told the other boy missing his right arm. "It's fine this way. If it didn't end up this way, you and I, we would've had to fight on behalf of our own Alice. Me to get her memory back, and you to save Alice Integrity Knight's soul."

"Then fight! After you get healed, we can fight all we want! So please! Don't leave me."

"I've always been envious of you. Stronger than anyone. Loved by everyone. Perhaps even Alice herself, loves you..." With great difficulty, Eugeo raised his other hand, which held Alice's memory crystal, memories of the time they spent together as kids. "But I understand now. Love isn't something you seek. It's something you give. Alice taught me that." Touching Alice's memory crystal, Kirito understood what he meant, seeing their locked memories as kids once again. "Where are you, Kirito?"

"I'm right here, Eugeo." Seeing Eugeo's pale face, and his hollow eyes, Kirito knew that he was rapidly losing his best friend. He gently embraced Eugeo into a hug.

"Yeah, I see it. I see your sword, sparkling as the night sky. That's right. Your blade, as gentle and black as the night sky, should be named the Night Sky Sword. " Eugeo was struggling to even talk, but being held by his best friend gave him the strength to hold on.

"Yeah, that's a great name. Thanks Eugeo." Eugeo was silent, and Kirito as well. Kirito couldn't accept it, the boy who was the reason they were in the Central Cathedral in the first place, the boy whose determination overcame all odds just for the chance to meet his childhood friend once again, the boy who has suffered so much, why must he be the one to die? Eugeo's the reason a sacrifice as big as half of the world's population was prevented.

"Eugeo, stay cool." Kirito was determined not to lose his best friend. There was still hope. If this world ran on Imagination, then it makes sense that a strong enough will can influence it. "System Call." Kirito started chanting. Whatever can let him save Eugeo, he was willing to do it. This world was built on memories. Everything on this world had memories. Fluctlights were a special case, being part of the Light Cube Cluster instead of the Main Visualizer. While the Main Visualizer held all the objects and environmental data of the world, the Light Cube Cluster held all the souls within. As long as Life was still present, the data is still part of Underworld. If Eugeo existed as a memory fragment, was it possible to restore him from that state? Kirito knew it was possible, considering Alice's own memories managed to stay this long. Kirito imagined a memory fragment, visualizing it just like the one he held. "Remove Memory Fragment." Focusing everything he had onto Eugeo's forehead, a blue prism slowly emerged from Eugeo's dying body. Successfully pulling out Eugeo's memory fragment, his body disappeared into a mass of light not unlike when someone dies in Underworld. But Kirito knew that Eugeo is still alive. Gripping both memory fragments of his childhood friends, Kirito whispered, "Don't worry Eugeo, this way we won't fight anymore". He didn't care how, just as long as he gets to give Eugeo and Alice back their lives. He began, "System Call. Memory Fragment Template, Generate Unit Body" The words could have been put differently, but this was how Kirito could put into words the image of building new bodies for Eugeo and Alice based on their memories.

A flash of light emerged from Kirito's own body, taking away the memory fragments he held. "Uwooohhhhh." Focusing all he had, the fragments started glowing, bright enough to nearly blind Kirito. Still, he kept going, putting all his hope that this method was going to work. A flash of light burst forth from the heavens, piercing Kirito before redirecting towards the two floating prisms. Just as the Stacia account had full control over the geographical aspects of Underworld, anyone with a high enough level of System Control Authority could influence the system and do whatever they desire, provided they had the Imagination for it. The death of Quinella transferred over her parameters to the ones present, giving Kirito just enough authority to attempt a unique command. However, just as with the Stacia account, this comes at the price of the System expending not its own resources, but that of the user's in doing these feats. At this moment, Kirito was essentially using his own mind to create new bodies for these fragments. Just as the light emanating from the heavens died down, the light from Kirito's eyes also disappeared.

What Alice Synthesis Thirty woke up to was nothing short of a miracle. The Administrator and Prime Senator were gone, though it was obvious that a great fight occurred in the battlefield. The survivor himself was kneeling, unconscious, but alive. But what surprised the Integrity Knight was something beyond that. In front of Kirito was a boy and a girl, holding hands. The boy had the same features of Eugeo, the one who was fatally wounded during the battle, and the girl had the same features as herself, the girl who emerged as an Integrity Knight six years ago.

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**A/N. So this chapter is meant as a prologue of things. I want to know two things. If you guys think that Eugeo and Alice should regress back to being children, or if they should become teenagers. I also want to know if they should stay in Centoria or go back to Rulid eventually. Rest assured I would still logically follow what happens after.**

**And if you were wondering whatever happened to the STL being shut down, that still happens, I just didn't want to elaborate on it now.**

**Thanks, and feel free to leave your thoughts on the box below!**


	2. Loss and Recovery

**A/N. So thanks for the feedback, the story's developing nicely. Please feel free to tell me your thoughts in the box below.**

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Kirito's unprecedented use of the System Commands alerted Higa and Kikuoka of the happenings in Underworld. As the process required manual processing from his brain, the FLA rate automatically slowed down to 1x to safely accommodate the procedure. Such a unique occurrence also quickly showed up within the logs of the Underworld simulation, which allowed Kikuoka and Higa to pinpoint his location and establish contact.

"Kirigaya!" "Kirito-kun!" Voices from the heavens called out, though this was only within the walls of the Administrator's room within the Central Cathedral. "Answer me!" "This is bad, Kiku-san! They're about to sever the power line! If that happens, it'll cause a surge! The Lightcube cluster is protected, but the surge will hit Kirigaya's STL in Subcon! His Fluctlight will get fried!" Unfortunately, the boy they were trying to contact was unconscious, and thus the voices from the heavens fell on deaf ears.

Then a final light from the heavens descended straight onto Kirito's body, followed by the FLA rate resuming to 1000x. The shockwave woke up Alice Synthesis Thirty, only to be met with an unbelievable sight. The raven haired boy, kneeling in front of her, unconscious, but alive. Ignoring the massive headache she suffered from, Alice attempted to wake Kirito. "Kirito! Wake up! You've saved my life! You've saved their lives! You have to see things through!" However, despite her pleas, Kirito didn't wake up. Even her attempts at transferring Life were seemingly fruitless. Alice confirmed Kirito's breaths, which reassured her somewhat. Then she set her sights on the people in front of Kirito. In front of him lied a flaxen-haired boy and and a golden-haired girl, holding hands while seemingly asleep. Alice couldn't believe it. Eugeo, who should have perished during the fight, was there in the flesh, with nary a scar on his body. And the girl he held hands with. It was like looking in a mirror, but the girl had her eyes closed and was as bare as the day she was born. The Integrity Knight quickly fashioned robes using the cape on her armor, and covered them both.

As if on cue, Bercouli climbed up to the floor. He witnessed Alice tending to not just the two intruders, but seemingly a twin of herself. "Little one... what happened?" Having no other words, Bercouli quickly instructed Alice to take the trio for treatment. Luckily they were near the room that Integrity Knights used whenever they needed to recuperate after being "treated" by the Pontifex. It was a secret room only known by the senior Integrity Knights. Bercouli led Alice to the room and then went down to inform the rest of the knights of what just happened.

Alice was worried. She was constantly checking the life of each of her patients. She couldn't restore Kirito's arm yet, lacking the necessary spatial power to undergo such an operation. Eugeo and the other Alice seemed to fare better, having nearly full Life, whilst Kirito's needed restoration. By the end of the day, even Alice Synthesis Thirty needed to rest, utterly exhausted from today's events. "Is she actually me? The original owner of this body?" As the knight took care of the girl, these thoughts raced through her mind. It didn't last long, since the knight also succumbed to sleep soon after. They all spent the rest of the evening in the room, totally isolated from even the Integrity Knights.

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The rays of Solus were shining brightly, indicating the start of a new day. The morning was so tranquil that you would be hard-pressed to say that the greatest battle had occurred the day before. The damage to the Cathedral's top floors was not even noticeable anymore, which helped Alice maintain a low profile.

"Eugeo... Eugeo..." The flaxen-haired boy heard a voice calling out to him. From beyond his dreams, he felt a hand make its way across his face. "It's time to wake up, Eugeo." The boy slowly opened his eyes, seeing the long golden hair and sparkling blue eyes of the girl he fell in love with.

"Alice?" Eugeo's throat felt dry, but he managed to call out her name.

"That's right. Good morning, sleepyhead." Alice smiled at him, full of joy that he is now awake. She quickly handed him a glass of water and helped him rise up. "Took you long enough". She sat on the bed.

"Where are we?" Eugeo asked, unaware of his surroundings. He thought he died, but this all felt too real. The last thing he remembered was saying goodbye to Kirito. That's right, Kirito. Where was he now? "Where's Kirito?"

"We're still in Centoria, inside the Central Cathedral. I think this is where they treat injured Integrity Knights."

"Huh? Alice, aren't you an Integrity Knight yourself?" Eugeo's head was still hazy, so he hadn't noticed that Alice was wearing the same clothes as he was.

"That would be me. And if you're still looking for Kirito, he's right here." A girl with an eyepatch opened the curtains beside them, revealing another bed that contained the raven-haired boy. "Good morning, Eugeo. I'm glad to see you've woken up as well."

Eugeo couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him was Alice, but there was also another Alice behind her. "Two Alices?" His eyes widened in complete shock. how was this possible? Was he still dreaming? No, this already felt too real to have been just a dream.

"Surprised? I was amazed myself. When I woke up, another me was asleep next to me." Alice Zuberg told Eugeo. She had apparently woken up to see Alice Synthesis Thirty asleep on one side of the bed. Her movements also served to wake up the knight, and both agreed to explain the story once Kirito and Eugeo have woken up. The fact that the girl was able to wake up gave the knight hope that the two boys will too.

"Well, now all we're waiting for is Kirito to wake up." The words of Alice Synthesis Thirty were filled with gentleness and hope, happy to see that the boy and girl who were holding hands in their sleep are now awake.

"Thank you, Alice, and... Alice... -san?" The two girls merely laughed off his reaction. Eugeo turned towards Kirito, wishing to take a closer look. Alice Zuberg moved aside to let him have a better look of his best friend. Unfortunately, what Eugeo saw terrified him. "Oh no... Kirito..." Eugeo reached towards Kirito, only to fall from his bed onto the floor. "Kirito..."

"Eugeo!" Alice Zuberg panicked. Both from Eugeo falling down and from his initial reaction upon seeing Kirito. "What's gotten into you?"

"It's Kirito... He's..." Eugeo struggled his way towards Kirito. He would have crawled if he had to, but Alice Synthesis Thirty helped him up the other bed. "Kirito doesn't sleep like this."

"What do you mean by that?" The knight questioned, fearing the worst. Kirito seemed more lifeless than the other two when she was restoring their Life, but she figured that he only needed to rest after the battle.

"Kirito, no matter how tired he was, no matter what injury he had the night before, would always move around his bed. He was never this stiff." Eugeo reached out to his best friend's remaining hand. "Kirito, just what did you sacrifice for us?"

As if responding to his best friend, Kirito opened his eyes. What the three of them saw was not his black eyes that radiated warmth, they looked cold and dull, as if they had lost their luster. Kirito may have been alive, but at the same time he looked lifeless.

Wiping his tears, Eugeo let go of his best friend's hand. "Lady Knight, can you explain to us what happened?"

"I am sorry. I had only awoken when the fight was already over. What I saw then was Kirito kneeling in front of your bodies." The knight admitted. She looked apologetic, but a hand made its way on her shoulder.

"That's alright. We don't blame you. You were exhausted, and yet you still took the pains to care for us after. Thank you." Alice Zuberg reassured her other self.

"I see. Thank you as well. For helping out throughout the battle, and for taking care of us." Eugeo bowed his head. "I'm sure Kirito feels the same."

That simple statement was enough to make the knight smile. "Then we must find out what's happened to him. I will go see what I can find. But first, Eugeo, take my hand." Alice extended her hand for Eugeo.

Eugeo looked at Alice Zuberg, whose face was forming a small pout. Eugeo grabbed the knight's hand, using it as leverage to stand up. "Sure, but what is it-", unfortunately, Eugeo quickly realized that he couldn't stand up. He looked at his legs, and realized that not only was he unable to move them, he was unable to feel them. They did not feel like a part of him at all. "I can't feel my legs."

"I was afraid of this. It seems you've lost the ability to use your legs..." The knight made her observation clear. It was on point. His body may have been restored, but the memories of him losing his legs were engraved in his mind. The restoration of those memories has left Eugeo unable to use his legs. "Even you have had to sacrifice so much..."

"Please raise your head. This is not your fault. We all chose to fight Administrator. If anyone should apologize it should be me, since I turned my blade on my allies. You and Kirito worked so hard, I should be grateful that we're still alive, and even more grateful that Alice is right here with us." Eugeo calmly told her, already accepting of the fact that he may not be able to use his legs anymore. He tried his best to prevent the two girls from crying. It worked for one of them.

Alice Zuberg wiped the tears in her eyes. "Don't worry Eugeo. I'm sure that Kirito will come back to us. and I'm sure that you'll be able to walk again" smiling at him as she held his hand. Her warmth reassured Eugeo that she was there, and that they were finally together once again. Kirito was already back asleep, but Alice held his hand as well.

"Then I shall take my leave. I will be back with food in a little while." The Integrity Knight departed after seeing such a display of friendship and love. Since at this time most Integrity Knights and those with Callings would have finished eating, it was the perfect time to go grab some food.

"Thank you, Alice." Zuberg tried to play it off as casually as possible, but it was still weird referring to her other self as Alice. But it can't be helped right now. They'll just have to talk about this later.

Once left alone, Eugeo once again rested on his bed. Even though he was physically tired, he felt restless from all the revelations in the few moments that he had been awake. "We're really back, huh?" Eugeo looked at Alice's eyes, amazed at the sight before him.

"This is all thanks to you and Kirito." The girl once again held his hand. "So for now, please rest. We can talk about it after you've gained some strength."

"Really, Alice. You're as gentle as ever." Eugeo turned towards Alice. "But don't you need some rest too? I'm sure if I feel this tired then you must too." Eugeo had always been more sensitive than Kirito, though that's not saying much considering the density of his best friend.

"Mou, just go and rest already. Let me enjoy this." The girl formed a small pout, just as she had done back in the day. That face of cute annoyance always made Eugeo weak to her requests.

"Ahaha." Eugeo laughed. He assumed that Alice wanted to enjoy the feeling of moving her own body after so long, and so didn't question Alice. But what Alice felt was not fatigue from her stasis, nor did she feel particularly elated from being able to move. The girl felt giddy after finally getting to see Eugeo again after so long. And not just see him, but to think that she would get to be by his side once again like this. "Thank you, Alice."

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"Little one, we need to talk." Bercouli intercepted the golden Integrity Knight just as she was about to make her way back into the room. She carried a basket containing food for four, all soft foods to ensure the trio's complete recovery.

"Uncle? What is it?" Alice suspected Bercouli will come back sooner or later, but the tone of his voice suggested he had a deep concern for something. "Sure, but let's head inside. We were just about to eat."

Glancing at the food basket the young Integrity Knight was carrying, Bercouli commented. "Is taht so? I'll come back in a little later then." He at least wanted them to have some nutrition before he dropped any news.

"As you wish." Alice entered the room while Bercouli left for downstairs.

"Let's talk all about it once we've regained our strength, okay?" said the girl beside Eugeo while parting his soft hair from his face. Eugeo's face was one of comfort and calm. It was as if he already didn't mind what he himself had lost just the day before. But there was no way that topic was going to be brought up now. It was time for them to rest and recover.

"Good morning. I brought some sweet bread and a few fruits. There's also milk if you guys want something else than water. I figured these foods were best for your recovery." The Integrity Knight announced with a gentle smile. She tried her best in order to not ruin the gentle atmosphere between the two.

"Wow. Those look delicious. I remember the sweet bread they gave me back then, it was the best bread I ever had!" Alice Zuberg looked delighted as she helped Eugeo rise up. The boy didn't really look to be asleep, rather he was simply enjoying being comforted by Alice. Luckily the girl didn't mind, and seemed to enjoy it herself.

"Thank you. Lady Knight Alice...-san." Eugeo added. He didn't know what to address the girl. He didn't want to simply refer to her by title as they had fought together, and neither did she seem to want to be addressed so formally. However, calling two people in the same room "Alice" would have made it difficult to differentiate between the two of them.

This issue had already been racing through Alice Zuberg's mind when she tried calling her other self. It would have been tiresome to figure out which of them was being called each time someone said "Alice". She didn't want to have to go through the process of sorting these messages out, especially if the message was only meant for one of them. "Hmm... How's about we talk about that as we eat? You know, what to call us?"

"Hm?" The knight didn't expect her other self to bring up such a topic. But it did make for a good conversation starter. Rather, it's a very logical start, since all conversations after will be affected by this one. "Umu, then let's discuss that." The knight agreed as she put the food on a table.

As Alice handed Eugeo some bread, she started. "Eugeo, what do you want to call us?"

"Eh? Me?"

"Yeah! just calling one of us Alice and the other one Alice-san is boring. It's like you're trying to treat us differently."

"But to me you're both Alice. I can't possibly just start calling you a different name." Eugeo was flummoxed. He didn't like being put on the spot like this.

"But then it's gonna be so repetitive, having to call us different names would be better."

"Then if I may suggest something. I am an Integrity Knight, one who is simply borrowing this body. If anyone should be addressed differently then it should be me."

"Eh? Then what do you want us to call you?"

"I- hadn't thought of that part yet." The proud knight displayed a slight blush at her own admission. "Maybe something like... Knight."

"Ehhhh? No way! That's a terrible way to call someone."

"What? I think it's a suitable label." Alice Synthesis Thirty tried to object.

"We're not thinking of labels to call us, silly." Alice Zuberg smiled at her counterpart. "Alice. A-lice. A-li-ce. That's it! I remember!"

"What is it? Did you come up with something?" Eugeo was happy Alice rememebered something.

"Yeah! If there's A-lice, then how about we just shuffle that? Lice-a. Lisa! It's simple, but I think it's a good name."

"Lisa... yeah. I think that's a beautiful name." Eugeo thought about it, and agreed while holding his chin.

"Isn't it? It's what I always wanted to name my daughter someday." Alice Zuberg's innocent claim shocked Eugeo. It made sense, since the characters in the name reflected the parent's wishes for their children, and Alice's namesake was a good basis for it. But he was more shocked that the girl was already talking about having a daughter.

"I see. Then from now on I will go by-"

"Nope, you won't. Starting today, you can call me Lisa!"

"But, seeing as I'm the one who was-"

"Come on Alice! Just agree to it, won't you? I want to be called Lisa, it somehow feels refreshing. Besides, you should listen to your elders."

"Elders? But aren't we the same age? In fact, shouldn't you consider yourself younger?"

"No, I'm not. I may have changed form when I was 11 years old, but that doesn't mean I was asleep, you know? I can consider myself 17 too! Besides, if we're actually counting age, you're only 6! That makes me your big sister!" Proclaimed Lisa with a smug look on her face and bread near her mouth.

"Ehhh?" Alice was confused. Lisa may have just been speaking nonsense like a child, but she did have many points that supported her.

Eugeo's instincts as a man told him this was a woman's quarrel. He would have wanted to escape, but he was locked by Lisa. In the end he just decided to remain quiet and let the two girls resolve it themselves.

The girl in front of her possessed an amazing determination. Alice's pride as a knight wouldn't let her back down out of anything, but just this once she decided to surrender. It was obvious there was no getting through to Lisa, as if she already made up her mind. She might have been planning this all along. "Fine. You win, Lisa. But I won't call you Big Sister."

"That's fine by me. Nice to meet you, Alice."

"You too, Lisa." The two women smiled at each other. Eugeo couldn't help but smile as well.

"Well, ain't that a sight to behold?" A man in blue robes was in front of the door, carrying a pot with him. "I asked the cook what foods to give to patients, so here's some of their soup and a few bowls. Or am I interrupting something?"

"Uncle. Of course not. You are always welcome. Thank you." Alice helped the man prepare the soup.

"Bercouli..." Eugeo didn't sense any malice, nor did he give out any. He was just glad that the man who was frozen in front of him is now alright.

"Ho? So you're the boy and girl the little one was looking after? I still remember our fight, boy." The man gave a hearty smile. "I look forward to more of your swordsmanship." Eugeo could only smile at him, while Lisa gave a concerned look towards Eugeo. Bercouli quickly sensed the unnatural stillness of the boy's legs. "But not now." Moving closer towards Lisa, Bercouli continued "And little miss, why do you look so much like the little one?"

"Ehehe. I guess you can call me her twin or something? We have the same body, but I'm the Alice Zuberg used to live with Eugeo and Kirito. You can call me Lisa!" Lisa gave him an innocent smile.

"Ho? The boy must be delighted to have two beautiful sisters around him." Lisa turned towards Eugeo as if she was bragging, while the boy only turned his head. "But I'm sorry, boy. I need you for something."

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**A/N. Would you guys want a non-canonical character as part of the story? Eydis Synthesis Ten. She's part of the game Alicization Rising Steel. Or should I just stick with the original characters. Rest assured I will make sure to follow the logical flow of events no matter what you guys pick.**

**Also, what's a good job for Eugeo? I doubt he can return to being a simple woodcutter.**

**Oh yeah, do you guys prefer "Jou-chan" to "Little one"? In-universe Bercouli calls her "Jou-chan" but the subs call her "Little one".**

**Tell me if you find the name "Lisa" to be weird, or if you don't like the two Alice's having separate names. I will retcon that info if you guys want.**

**Again, hope you enjoyed the story, and feel free to tell me your thoughts in the box below!**


	3. The End of a Journey

**A/N. Consider this as an end of the year gift of sorts. I still plan to continue this story, but reading your comments gives me that little push to make it. So if you don't mind please write something in the box below, I really appreciate it. I don't care if it's anonymous or not, just reading your thoughts makes me happy.**

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"I need you for something." The Knight Commander declared as the three younglings were eating the soup he brought.

Bercouli was the one to explain to the other Integrity Knights the events that had transpired the day before. He told them of the Administrator's death, along with that of the Prime Senator and Senate, her horrible plan to convert half the population into Sword Golems, and the reason she was willing to resort to such measures in the first place. With the Pontifex gone, the Integrity Knights were the last hope the Human Empire had for defending against the dark territory.

The tone in the room shifted with one sentence. "Me?" Eugeo asked, unsure what he meant.

To the Church's eyes, he and Kirito were criminals who had violated the Taboo Index. They were the rebels who had fought and seized victory over the multiple Integrity Knights sent after them. And they were the only suspects that could have and would have instigated an attack against the highest authority in the Church. Granted that attack led to her actions being exposed, but that doesn't excuse the criminal actions they have done prior.

"Yes. Forgive me for asking for your help, but I wish for you to meet with the other Integrity Knights. Rest assured that none of them I will ensure none of them will attack you. I swear on my honor as a Knight" claimed Bercouli.

After finishing breakfast, they left the used dishes, pot, and basket to the nearest helper. Eugeo and Kirito were placed in wheelchairs that were pushed by Lisa and Alice, but there was one other thing that made Eugeo stand out. He was dressed in Integrity Knight armor. Alice told Bercouli of what had happened, and he arranged for Eugeo's Integrity Knight armor to be repaired.

Seeing the sight before them, the other Integrity Knights had more questions than answers. Why weren't the criminals apprehended yet? Why was one of them wearing Integrity Knight armor. What was the same armor that was meant as a symbol for one of the highest authorities in the Church doing on a rebel such as him. Why were there two Alice's? The only thing they understood was why the two boys were in wheelchairs, considering their apparent feat of taking down Administrator.

"What is the meaning of this? So you mean to say that this rebel has become an Integrity Knight?" Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-One spoke up. "Him, who is an enemy of the Church?"

"I understand where you're coming from, Eldrie. But the truth of the matter is that Administrator used the Synthesis Ritual to turn him into an Integrity Knight. What's more, she does this by taking away our memories, replacing it with the will to serve her. All Integrity Knights are victims, and she has used this method to force us into obedience." Alice saved Eugeo from speaking up.

"Taking away our memories..." Fanatio Synthesis Two started. "Then, why is there another Alice? Is she another of the Administrator's secrets?"

"No, I am not. I'm the Alice Zuberg that came from Rulid Village. Nice to meet you, and please fix the way you call us. We have names too. They're Kirito and Eugeo, and you can call me Lisa." The girl had a way of bringing a situation together. She felt that it was too much that introductions were skipped, and hated that they were basically being referred to as proof of the Pontifex's actions more than anything. In a way her sudden introduction helped prevent the escalation of the situation.

"Lisa huh? Nice to meet you! I'm Eydis, and I'm now your big sister!" The gray-haired Integrity Knight told them. It seemed that she didn't care much for the topic at hand, just that there were now two Alice's that she could take baths with. Unfortunately, the other Integrity Knights didn't share the same sentiment, and neither did Lisa as she was hugged by Eydis Synthesis Ten.

"Forgive us. It's just that this is all too much to take in all at once." Deusolbert justified on the Knights' behalf. Lisa just smiled back at them.

"It's fine. I will explain what had happened, if you are willing to hear me out." Eugeo recounted the events of the day before. How the Integrity Knights have their own identities, and how they were sealed. He shared how Eldrie was the winner of the Four Empires Unity Tournament, and how Bercouli was one of the founders of Rulid, and its greatest hero. The fact that this stimulated a response in them was more than enough proof Eugeo was telling the truth, or at least knew more than them. Unfortunately, most of Eugeo's efforts would have been vain, as there was no way to retrieve the memory crystals lost to the Sword Golem and the fight that occurred.

"That's enough for today." Bercouli quickly recovered from the mental stress of trying to remember. "So, I hope that this has made things clearer for everyone. Now, I wish to restore the decimated Order of the Integrity Knights. As we are now, we have no chance to defend against the Dark Territory. We must prepare for war."

* * *

Once Bercouli dismissed everyone, Alice, Lisa, Eugeo, and Kirito went back to their room. Eugeo and Kirito laid on their beds when Eydis entered the room. The Knight Commander's words imposed a heavy burden on everyone present. Conversely, the Knight of the Abyss knew how to lighten up the mood, usually through enforcing her own lighthearted requests. Eydis had always held a soft spot for Alice, and the fact that another Alice was present in the central Cathedral was too much temptation.

"Hello." Eydis excitedly greeted them. "Doing well, I hope?" It took no time at all for her to reach Eugeo's bed, or more precisely, where Lisa currently was.

"Ah, Eydis-san. Thanks for your concern." Eugeo greeted her back.

"What are you doing here Eydis?" Alice immediately suspected her comrade, as Eydis already had a history of clinging onto her whenever they meet. Eydis always called herself Alice's big sister, and justified her actions as "big sister affection", but Alice was still uncomfortable by Eydis's tendency to go overboard and drag her along.

"Mou Alice-chan, that's no way to talk to your big sister." Alice tried to hold back her annoyance but a glare still presented itself. "I just wanted to ask if you girls wanted to take a bath with me, that's all."

"A bath? At this time of day?" Lisa told Eydis. It seemed a little eccentric to go out of her way just to invite them for a bath, but Eydis's personality did lend credence to her request.

"Why not? A bath is perfect after all that talk. I could tell you girls could really unwind." Eydis was not wrong. Alice and Lisa's faces had signs of their fatigue, more so with Alice since she had to constantly nurse the three by herself until Lisa woke up.

"By any chance, are you talking about the bath in the 90th floor?"

"Yeah! It's great! The waters are so clear and just the right temperature to soothe your whole being!"

"Ahh, about that... you see, Eydis-san, I'm not sure if that bath is alright to use right now?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Because I fought Knight Commander Bercouli there and sort of messed up the place." Eugeo admitted it with a small laugh, but it was obvious his face was tense.

"You did what? You... fought... Bercouli... IN MY BATH?!" Eydis's rage was practically boiling, filling the room with a cold air.

"Oh, Eydis, you're here too?" As if on cue, Bercouli entered the room, nonchalantly cutting through the tension. "What brings you here?"

"Knight Commander... I just wanted to invite Alice and Lisa to the great bath, but the Eugeo boy tells me that the place is wrecked."

"Oh, that? You're in luck then. I just had the place fixed. Boy, that ice was hard to remove. Good job." Bercouli informed them of the good news. Well, good news for Eydis, not so much for the golden-haired girls.

"Really? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Before Eydis can whisk off the two maidens with her momentum, she had to first convince Alice and Lisa themselves who held onto the bed. "Ehh? What's keeping you?"

"I can't really take a bath right now. I'm still busy here. I need to take care of Eugeo."

"Me too. I wish to take care of Kirito."

"Go on, Lisa, Alice. I've been there, and it looked amazing."

"Then... you can go with us, Eugeo! We can go in together." Lisa embarrassingly blurted out, blushing up to her ears.

"Ehh? That's... you can go by yourselves. I'll just rest up here."

"But, someone has to look after you." Lisa countered.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I'll keep the boy company, and look after the sleeping one. Just go and enjoy yourselves. I want to have a man-to-man talk with Eugeo anyway."

"Then that's settled! We're off!" Eydis quickly dragged the two away. Beneath her small frame lay a great strength, one that only showed itself whenever it came to enjoying the Central Cathedral's luxuries.

"You've really formed a connection huh?" Bercouli said to Eugeo once the girls left the room. "I can tell that you and little Lisa are quite the close pair."

"Yeah. We both grew up in Rulid, along with Kirito. We've been close since birth." Eugeo told him. "We were only separated when Alice... Lisa was taken away by the Church, and I lost my memories of Kirito."

"I see..."

"Please don't worry about it. It's alright now." Eugeo looked at his hand, as if still doubting the reality of the situation. "I was prepared to face death the moment I decided to fight Administrator's Sword Golem. It was Lisa who gave me the courage for that. But now, the greatest miracle has occurred, and we somehow are still alive, and Lisa has regained her body. I'm really grateful that things turned out like this, and I'm still hopeful that Kirito will recover as well." As Eugeo looked at his best friend, his attention was quickly taken again by Bercouli.

"Kid, I'm going to be honest with you. You've been through some tough times, and I expect that you will experience tougher things still. But I want you to stay strong, for little Lisa, for Kirito over here, and for the little one- Alice as well." Bercouli looked over at Kirito. "Have you noticed something strange with Kirito and the little one?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since the fight with her Eminence the little one has been acting strangely. I know that she endured an injury with right eye, but this doesn't feel related to that at all. She feels... different."

"How so?"

"Have you noticed how she's always beside Kirito? I don't mean that as if it's a bad thing, but that there seems to be a connection between them." Bercouli was indeed a very observant man. He had even managed to notice Kirito's figure twitch when Alice left the room to take a bath with Lisa and Eydis. "The little one confessed to a massive headache after the fight, but the symptoms she's showing up until now indicate that it has not completely disappeared."

"So you mean that-"

"I feel that the little one is the key to awakening your friend. But I also feel that neither of them are ready yet." Bercouli's hunches always hit close to home, but he was not going to brag about it now. "The only thing I can say is that you need to give them time. I'm sure the Kirito boy will be back."

"I see. Thank you Bercouli."

"And as for your legs, your Life should be mostly full after recovering, but I'm not sure why you can't use them still. Even a severed arm can function fully once its back in place, so I'm not sure what's wrong. But what I'm sure of is that you someday you will be able to walk again. Because you and Kirito, I'm sure we will need your strength again someday, and I wish to witness that strength once again."

"Yes! Thank you, Bercouli." Eugeo's eyes reflected a gentle passion and kindness, but most importantly, hope.

* * *

Once Alice and Lisa managed to escape Eydis, they retreated back to the room. While the bath did feel good, the experience did little in livening up their spirits. Still, Eydis managed to give Lisa something to remember her by.

"Welcome back." Eugeo looked at Alice and Lisa, a little bit out of breath from escaping the Knight of the Abyss. However, apart from seeing them wearing different clothes, Lisa had something else on her head. The girl immediately noticed the boy's eyes fixated on her.

"You like it? Eydis-san kept talking about how we're just like twins, and that made it hard to tell which one was whom. So she offered this." The girl smiled as she pointed to her new accessory, a blue ribbon that matched her eyes, and looked just as good on her golden hair.

"Yeah, it looks really good on you."

"Really? It was worth taking it from Alice then."

That night, new beds were installed in the room where the quartet rested, so that Alice may fully rest while taking care of Eugeo and Kirito. Lisa's was on the far left, followed by Eugeo's, then Kirito's, while Alice's was situated on the far right. Curtains were placed in between each bed, but they all agreed not to use them. Surprisingly, they all stuck to the prescribed sleep schedule, though this may be due to the fact that Alice and Lisa had to keep up with Eydis's sightseeing of the Central Cathedral's facilities (which she had been a frequent visitor of whenever she was not in duty in the far moutains), and Eugeo kept on reading in the Central Cathedral's library until the afternoon when they came back.

Dozens of human heads deprived of color suddenly appeared, all chanting the Sacred Arts, though this was made unintelligible thanks to multiple concurrent chantings barraging her from all directions. These figureheads looked more like masks than anything, seemingly being copies of each other without any features that would set them apart. What's worse, they were supposed to look _human_, though at this point they were anything but. Days upon days of this torture was forced upon her, with the treatment designed to break her, and tamper with her soul.

"No!" Lisa woke up, startled and afraid, but somehow... warm? She opened her eyes and confirmed it, a pair of arms locked together held her body tightly, their warmth calming her down and relieving her tension. Lisa had done her best to hide it, but now, it was obvious that she was vulnerable, that she was hurting, that she was suffering, from having to remember her last memories. That of being subjected to torture, wishing for hope, and forgiveness.

"It's okay now. Alice, it's okay. You're not alone anymore. I'm here, so please..." His voice was like a lullaby, sweet and tender, its only purpose right now to calm her down, and make her feel peaceful.

"Eugeo..." The girl turned around and saw his soft face, full of warmth and kindness. Lisa could no longer hold back her tears. She cried on Eugeo's chest whilst he embraced her, all the while patting her head and reassuring her that everything was alright.

"I'm sorry Alice. I couldn't do anything when they took you away. I wasn't there for you these past six years. I couldn't help you when you were suffering. I'm sorry." Eugeo's voice was filled with regret. "'But I'm here now. And I promise I will never let you get hurt again." Eugeo looked at Lisa's face and wiped her tears.

"Uhn. It's a promise." Lisa smiled at him, feeling protected in his embrace. "Thank you, Eugeo. But, only call me Alice... when we're alone..." Lisa mouthed as she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Eugeo made sure to wake up early. Lisa had been waking up later than she had used to because she was not needed in preparing breakfast, so Eugeo took advantage of this to get up earlier than usual to request something from Alice.

"Alice, I want to ask you a big favor."

"What is it?"

"I want to go back to Rulid with everyone." What Alice saw in Eugeo's eyes was a bright spark of determination, without a hint of doubt. So this was the man Lisa fell in love with...

"Oh? I didn't expect that to be so soon. Then I can have it arranged, I will drop you off-"

"Would you... like to come with us?" Lisa interrupted. Apparently she had heard the conversation and was pretending to fall asleep. The mention of Rulid filled her heart with joy, finally getting to go back to her beloved village.

"Lisa? You were awake?" The girl just nodded at Eugeo's question.

"Why? You wouldn't want me there-" Alice questioned back.

"But we do. Me and Eugeo, and especially Kirito."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just don't want you to feel like you don't belong there. I want more for you than just a life of being an Integrity Knight. I hate that you're always calling yourself that, as if you're not even a person anymore!" Lisa was getting worked up, but this was how she truly felt. Alice had already implied more than once that she should feel indebted to Lisa for "stealing her body", but Lisa didn't feel like this. Rather, she felt as if she should be responsible for Alice, in order for her to live out a full life as a person instead of a hollow life as an Integrity Knight, especially now that she had the chance to.

"We want you to stay with us. I can't explain it very well, but I know that's how we all feel about you. I know it's asking for a lot to stay with us in Rulid, but I promised that I would bring Alice back to Rulid. That's you too, right? I at least want you to know of the life you had, so that you never call yourself as just an Integrity Knight."

"..." After mere moments that felt like minutes, Alice finally responded. "I will talk about it with Uncle."

"I see... that's great then." Lisa forced a bittersweet smile, still sad that Alice was shackled by being an Integrity Knight.

* * *

Alice discussed the matter of moving to Rulid with Bercouli after lunch. The Knight Commander preferred to have talks while he was eating as having conversations was a good way to make food taste better, but Alice requesting a private talk with him indicated this was a serious topic.

"What is it, little one? It's rare that you have to talk to me like this when we could have done so in the dining room."

"It's about Eugeo. He says he wants to go back to Rulid with Lisa and Kirito."

"Oh? They're free to leave when they like. I can't blame them for wanting to go back home."

"And... they want me to go as well."

Bercouli's eyes widened. "Then, do you want to go?"

"What are you talking about? I can't afford to leave now. You said it yourself, we need all the help we can get."

"Yes. Actual help. So I'm fine with letting an out of commission Integrity Knight, much less one who can't even fight, leave Centoria. That includes you."

"What do you mean?"

"You know it. You haven't been able to raise your blade properly ever since that fight."

"I can still fight. There's no need for me to abandon my duty as a Knight!"

"Then prove it. Go to the village in the North, and protect it with everything you have!"

Alice's eye widened. Rather, her eyes were opened to what Bercouli really meant. It was not abandoning her duty if she were escort and live together with the Rulid trio. She had nobler duties to fulfill, to ensure that the keys to winning the war were well protected. "Thank you, Uncle." Alice smiled as a single tear flowed down her cheek.

"You may leave tonight. Pack your things and don't look back. I want you to protect those three as best you can, and avoid causing any disturbance. There has been some unrest lately." Alice understood Bercouli's final message, that the rebels being left alive did not leave a good impression on members of the Church. And while he did mean all that, Bercouli had other motives in mind in sending Alice off to live with Eugeo, Lisa, and Kirito. For Alice to enjoy a life she had never known before, and for her to stay safe.

* * *

As they all wished, the quartet left that night. Once the light of Solus was gone and everything was enveloped in darkness, Alice, Lisa, Eugeo, and Kirito headed for Alice's dragon, Amayori. Four people was a lot to carry, but Amayori managed. It was either they used Amayori or traveled by carriage, after all, and there was no easy way out of Centoria except through air. On the dragon's back sat Kirito and Alice, while carried by its feet was a platform in the shape of a basket, where Lisa and Eugeo resided along with their belongings.

It was already morning when they reached Rulid, and the party agreed to leave Amayori a a couple kilols from the village to not arouse suspicion. Unfortunately two women in robes bringing two crippled men through a village tends to attract attention.

It was the head guard who immediately noticed and called out to them. "Hey, hold on, outsiders aren't allowed to-" Lisa turned towards him, exposing a face that the village has not been graced with for years. A face that they turned their backs against. "You are-"

"Hey, Zilk, we're home..." A smile formed on Eugeo's lips, though he knew how sad and pitiful they must have looked to the head guard.

"Please... let us see Father..."

It did not take long to call for Gasupht Zuberg, the village chief, to be called, and even less time to draw a crowd. "Alice... does your return to this village mean you have been absolved of your crime?"

"Father... I believe the crime I have committed has nothing to do with having the right to live here. I- we have gone through a lot that prove it is not always right to follow what is said to us."

"What are you saying?"

Gasupht was approached by the other woman who had kept her face hidden until now. "Allow me to explain."

"Whuh- Alice?" Everyone present was equally shocked, as another girl with the exact same features as Alice Zuberg, with the sole exception of having an eyepatch over the right side of her face, presented herself.

"Yes. Sorry to surprise you, but now there exists two of the same person. She represents the Alice that was taken from this village as a child, and I represent the Alice that had her memories of this village erased. Whether that means the crime has been absolved, we do not know, but as she said, that is irrelevant-"

"Go... leave our sight. We have no place for criminals. No matter what you say you are, Alice Zuberg is a criminal."

"What? You can't do that! This is her home! This is our home!"

"And Eugeo, what has caused you to be reduced to such a state?"

"That's-" Eugeo didn't know how to answer. Saying that the injuries were because of fighting the Administrator would only invite even more trouble.

"I am sorry for you. But if you were just being escorted by them, then they may leave right now."

"That's..." Eugeo's anger couldn't be described. How could it be, that the reason he and Kirito spent years outside the village, the same Alice that was the chief's daughter, how could they just turn her away like that? "How can you say that to your own daughter? How can you say that to Alice?"

"It is what it is, Eugeo. The girl had broken the Index, and we all accept that. That's why there is no place for her in this village anymore."

Does this mean that all the effort they went through was just a waste? That the journey had been meaningless from the start? That he couldn't fulfill his promise? "Why? Why? Why are you rejecting her? She's Alice, the very same Alice that belongs in this village!" Eugeo was looking down, tears falling onto his lap, confusion clouding his self-coontrol. He didn't know it, but he was already generating an Aerial Element Art on his hands that were formed into fists. He only needed to say "Burst Element" for the Art to be invoked.

"Eugeo! Stop! It's fine, please stay calm!" Lisa quickly leaned over and wrapped both of her arms around Eugeo. This allowed Eugeo to realize what he was about to do.

Everyone was shocked. Eugeo, the boy that had stayed silent and docile, the boy who never made any friends until Kirito came, the same Kirito that was on a wheelchair beside him, was capable of nearly invoking Arts without saying a word. The flaxen-haired boy wiped his tears, and had only this to say to his companions. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Please, don't push yourself, Eugeo."

"As long as we're together, I'm happy. So please don't blame yourself."

"Stay with you? Eugeo, you can-" A villager spoke up.

"I already broke the Index! If you hate criminals so much, just leave us alone! That's what you wanted, right?!" Eugeo answered back. And with his remark, silence fell upon the village as they left.

Amayori had to rest, so they all decided to eat first. Their breakfast consisted of light sandwiches as well as a few fruits and tea. It didn't take long for the three to eat, but feeding Kirito always took a long time. Before they finished, they were approached by the elderly Garitta, the woodcutter that had once entrusted the task of cutting down the Gigas Cedar to Eugeo, and bestowed the material necessary for Kirito's sword.

"We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

**A/N. I'm sorry this took so long. I'm at the point of writing where I can say "I just wanna get to the good stuff", but it's hard. The events need set-up, otherwise they'll seem like they just came out of nowhere. And sorry if this seems like I'm rushing, I really just want to get to the war already.**

**Please don't cringe at the eye/eyes thing. I don't know how to use the expression for people with only one eye.**

**And do please leave something down at the box below. Your thoughts help writers know, including me, that their work is appreciated and worthy of continuation.  
**


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